A Spanish police officer was disciplined for changing a sanitary pad on International Women's Day

She was absent from her job for 10 minutes.

A woman is facing disciplinary action for using the toilet at workReuters

A Spanish civil guard has said she received disciplinary action for being away from her job for 10 minutes to change her sanitary towel.

The woman was reprimanded by a lieutenant when she returned from the toilet for for leaving her post, despite explaining she needed to go to the bathroom because of her period.

The lieutenant reported that she had abandoned her surveillance work, prompting him to open a disciplinary file for which she could be suspended for two days without pay, according to her lawyer Antonio Suárez-Valdés.

The woman involved has put forward a claim of work harassment against the lieutenant.

Ironically, the incident occurred in Barcelona on International Women's Day on 8 March, a day aimed at celebrating women and their achievements in the workplace.